plumbing 
plumbing (plum'ing), . [Verbal n . of pin m ''-'. 
r.] 1. The art of casting and working in lead 
(also, by extension, in other metals put to simi- 
lar USCB), and applying it to various purposes 
connected with buildings, as in roofs, windows, 
pipes, etc. 2. The act or process of ascer- 
taining the depth of anything. 3. Lead pipes 
and other apparatus used for conveying water 
or other liquids through a building. 
plum-bird (plum'berd), n. The bullfinch, Pyr- 
rhuln i uli/iirin. Also called plum-budder. [Lo- 
cal, KM". | 
plumbism (plnm'bizm), n. [< L. plumbum, 
lead (see plumb%), + -(.] Lead-poisoning. 
plumb-joint (plum'joint), n. A lap-joint in 
sheet-metal the edges of which are not bent or 
seamed, but merely laid over one another and 
soldered; a soldered lap-joint. 
plumbless (plum'les), a. [< i>lumb% + -less.'] 
Incapable of being measured or sounded with 
a plummet or lead-line ; unfathomable. 
The moment shot away Into the plumblem depths of the 
past, to mingle with all the lost opportunities that are 
drowned there. Dickens, Uard Times, xv. 
plumb-level (plum 'ley* el), . A plumb or 
plummet considered with reference to its use 
in testing the level of a plane. Also called 
pendulum-level. 
plumb-line (plum'lin), n. A cord or line to 
one end of which is attached a metal bob or 
weight, used to determine vertical direction, 
depth of water, etc. ; a plummet. 
plumb-line (plum'lin), t>. t. [<. plumb-line, n.} 
To measure, sound, or test by means of a 
plumb-line. G. H. Lewes, Probs. of Life and 
Mind, II. ii. $ 77. 
plumbocalcite (plum-bo-kal'sit), . [< L. pliun- 
bum, lead, + fj.calcite.] A variety of calcite con- 
taining a small percentage of lead carbonate. 
plumbogummite (plum-bo-gum'It), n. [< L. 
plumbum, lead, + gummi, gum, + -ite 2 .] A hy- 
drous phosphate of lead and alumina occur- 
ring in globular or reniform crusts of a yellow 
to brown color, looking like gum (whence the 
name). 
plumbostib (plum'bo-stib), n. [< L. plumbum, 
lead, + stilrium, antimony.] A variety of bou- 
laugerite from Siberia. 
plum-broth (plum'brdth), n. Broth contain- 
ing plums or raisins. 
Good bits hee holds breedes good positions, and the 
pope hee best concludes against in plum-broth. 
Sir T. Overbury, Characters, A Puritane. 
plumb-rule (plum'i'81), w. [< ME. plom-reicle : 
< plumb 2 + rule.] A narrow board with paral- 
lel edges having a straight line drawn through 
the middle, and a string carrying 
a metal weight attached at the 
upper end of the line. It is used 
by masons, bricklayers, carpen- 
ters, etc., for determining a ver- 
tical. 
Set thy pyn by a plom-rewle evene up- 
ryht. Chaucer, Astrolabe, ii. 38. 
Bevel plumb-rule, a surveyors' instru- 
ment for adjusting tlie slope of embank- 
ments. E. H. Knight. 
plum-budder (plum'bud-er), . 
Same as plum-bird. 
plumbum (plum'bum), . [L. : 
see plumb 2 ?] Lead. 
plum-cake (plum'kak'), n. A 
cake containing raisins, currants, 
and often other fruit. 
plum-color (plum'kul'pr), n. 
One of various shades of purple 
and violet used in textile fabrics 
and as a ground color in Oriental 
porcelain, in the latter use some- 
times flat, sometimes mottled, 
and sometimes in streaks, as if 
allowed to run freely down the 
side of the vase or vessel. 
plum-colored (plum'kul'ord), a. 
of a plum ; dark-purple. 
plum-curculio (plum'ker-kii'li-6), n. A weevil, 
Coiiotraehelus nenuphar, which damages the 
plum, peach, and cherry. It Is one of the most 
noxious of the Curculionidte, and is commonly called the 
little Turk, from the characteristic crescent-shaped mark 
made by the female in the fruit in oviposition. See cut 
under Conotrachelui. 
plum-duff (plum'duf '), n. A stiff kind of flour- 
pudding containing raisins and boiled in a bag : 
a favorite sea-dish. 
plume (plom), H. [< ME. plume, plome, < OF. 
plume, t\ plume = Sp. Pg. pluma = It. piumii, 
a feather, plume, = MD. pliiym, D. plnim, plume, 
Masons' Plumb- 
rule, a, center 
of suspension ; 
t>, plumb-line : c. 
straight edge ; d t 
plumb-bob. 
Of the color 
4567 
feather, = MLG. plume = Q. pflaum, flaum, 
down ; < L. plumti, a small soft feather, in pi. 
plumte, soft feathers, down ; hence the down of 
the first beard, the scales on a coat of mail ; cf . 
W. pluf = Bret, phi, plumage; < y plu, float, 
Skt.yfplu, swim, float, fly: see fleet*, float, flyl. 
Cf. feather, ult. from another root meaning 
'fly.'] 1. A fea- 
ther, (a) Technl- 
cully, a pluma or 
penna: distinguish- 
ed from plumule. 
See cut under Ore- 
ortyx. (b) A long, 
large, ornamental, 
specially modified, 
or In any way con- 
spicuous feather : 
as, an ostrich-plume; 
the plumes uf para- 
discards. 
2. A tuft of fea- 
thers; a set or 
bunch of plumes 
Plume as worn at tourneys and cere- Worn IIS Jill OHIH - 
Mme!?' 5 " "* ccn "" y ' (From a print of the me nt; an egret; 
plumery. 
His high plume that nodded o'er his head. 
I ir ii.l. a. Iliad, Ti. 148. 
3. Plumage. [Rare.] 
The bird of Jove, stoop'd from his aery tour, 
Two birds of gayest plume before him drove. 
Milifin, P. I-, XL 180. 
4t. A token of honor; a prize won by contest. 
But well thoti comest 
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win 
From me aome plume. MUton, P. I ., vi. 161. 
5. In bot., same as plumule, 3. 6. In entom.: 
(a) A hair with many fine branches, resem- 
bling a little soft feather; a plumate hair. (6) 
A plume-moth. 7. A plumose part or forma- 
tion, as of the gill of a crustacean or a mollusk. 
At the upper end this stem on the gills divided into two 
parts, that in front, the plume, resembling the free end of 
one of the gills. Huxley, Crayfish, p. 78. 
Apical plume. See podobranehia. 
plume (plom), v. t. ; pret. and pp. plumed, ppr. 
pluming. [< plume, n.] 1. To dress the plu- 
mage of, as a bird ; preen. 
Swans must be kept In some inclosed pond, where they 
may have room to come on shore and plume themselves. 
Mortimer, Husbandry. 
2. To strip off the plumage of, as a bird ; pluck. 
Madam, you take your hen, 
Plume it, and skin it, cleanse It o' the inwards. 
B. Joiuan, Devil i- an Ass, Iv. 1. 
And, after they \\s\e plum'd ye, return home. 
Like a couple of naked fowls, without a feather. 
Fletcher (and another). Elder Brother, v. 2. 
3. To adorn with feathers or plumes; feather; 
set as a plume; hence, to decorate or adorn 
(the person) in any way. 
The mother of the Sirens was not thus plumed on the 
head. Bacon, Moral Fables, vl., Ejcpl. 
His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest 
Sat horrour plumed. Milton, P. I .. . Iv. 989. 
This gentlewoman being a very rich merchantman's 
daughter, upon a time was invited to a bridal or wedding 
which was solemnized in that towne; against that day 
she made great preparation for the pluming of herself In 
gorgeous array. J. Coolte, Green s Tu Quoque, note 3. 
The lists were ready. Empanoplled and plumed 
We enter'd in, and waited. Tennyton, Princess, v. 
4. To pride; boast: used reflexively: as, to 
plume one's self on one's skill. 
Can anything in nature Induce a man to pride and plume 
himttlj In his deformities? South. 
What business have I, forsooth, toplume myarf/because 
the Duke of Wellington beat the French In Spain'; 
Thackeray, Men and Pictures. 
Plumed adder, a kind of horned viper of the genus Ce- 
ragtftt, as C. carnutus, having a plume-like formation of the 
scales over each eye. Plumed bird. Same as plume- 
bird. Plumed Pink. See pinlfl, 1. 
plume-alum (plom'al'um), n. A kind of alum 
occurring in feathery, plumose forms, 
plume-bird (plSm'bferd), . A member of the 
subfamily Epimachinse, and especially of the 
genus Epimachus. 
plume-holder (plSm'hol'der), n. Anything 
made to secure a plume, as to the head or dress ; 
especially, an extra piece screwed on a helmet 
and having a slender pipe or tube, used for this 
purpose. 
plumeless (plOm'les), o. [< plume H- -'--.] 
Featherless, as an animal ; having no plumage. 
Borne on unknown, transparent plumelet* wings [a bat]. 
Eusdeii, tr. of Ovid's Metamorph., iv. 
plumelet (plom'let), n. [<plume + -let.] 1. In 
ornith., a plumule or plumula ; a down-feather. 
2. Anything resembling a small plume, as a 
tuft of leaves or leaflets, or needles of a conif- 
erous tree. 
Crape-vine Plume-moth (Ptfrofftorws pert- 
tcetitiattylus'i. 
a. caterpillars in their retreat ; b, chrysalis ; 
r, one of the dors.il processes of chrysalis, 
enlarged ; ft. moth ; t. one joint of larva, en- 
larged, side view. 
plum-gonger 
When rosy plutnelett tuft the larch. 
TVniiyaon, In Memoriam, icl. 
3t. In bot., a little plumule. 
plume-maker (plam'ma'ker), . A feather- 
dresser ; a maker of plumes. See plumint. 
plume-moth (pldm'mdth ), n. One of the small 
delicate moths which compose the family Ptero- 
phorida (or 
Aliifitiilir}: so 
called from 
the division of 
the wings in- 
to plume-like 
parts or fea- 
thery lobes. 
Their larvn usu- 
ally feed upon the 
leaves of plants, 
and transform to 
naked pupa?. The 
grape-vine plume- 
moth Is Pterophn- 
rug ppriscrlidac- 
tylug, whose larva 
loosely webs with 
silk the leaves on 
which it feeds. 
This caterpillar is 
yellowish green 
with dull-yellow 
tubercles, and is 
usually found sin- 
gly, though some- 
times several feed ^^f ( 
together. The 
pupa Is reddish- 
brown with dark- 
er spots, and the 
moth Itself Is 
yellowish brown 
with a metallic 
luster, marked 
with several dull- 
white streaks and 
spots. See Ptero- 
vhoridx. 
plume-nutmeg (plBm'nut'meg), . A large 
tree of Australia and Tasmania, Alherosperma 
moschtita of the Monimiacete. It is aromatic in 
all its parts, and the fruit-carpels bear each a 
persistent plumose style. 
plume-plucked (plom'plukt), a. Stripped of a 
plume or plumes; hence, figuratively, humbled; 
brought (town. [Rare.] 
Great Duke of Lancaster, I come to thee 
From plume-pluck'd Richard. 
Shak., Rich. II., Iv. 1. 108. 
Plumeria (plp-me'ri-a), n. [NL. (Tournefort, 
1700), named afterCharles P&miar (1040-1700), 
author of many works on American plants.] 
A genus of trees of the gamopetalous order 
Apocynacex, type of the tribe Plumericse, and 
of the subtribe Eitplumcriese. it Is characterized 
by the numerous ovules In many rows in two carpels which 
ripen Into two rigid diverging follicles, a calyx glandular 
within, stamens near the base of the tube of * salver- 
shaped corolla, winged seeds, and unaupendaged anthers. 
There are about 45 species, natives of tropical America, 
some of them naturalized in the Old World. They are trees 
with thick branches, alternate long-stalked and promi- 
nently feather-veined leaves, and large white, yellow, or 
purplish Mowers in terminal cymes. Seejasmine-tree,lram- 
bodja, nogegay-tree, and pagoda-tree. 
Plumeriese (pl6-me-ri'e-e), n. pi. [NL. (End- 
licher, 1836), < Plumeria + -ex.] A tribe of 
plants of the order Apocynaceie, the dogbane 
family, characterized by the distinct carpels of 
the ovary, peltate seeds, and unappendaged 
base of the anther-cells, which are filled with 
pollen throughout. It includes 41 genera, mainly 
tropical trees or shrubs two, Valletta and Amtonia, oc- 
curring In the United States, and another, the herbaceous 
genus Vinca, extending Into Europe, and widely natural- 
ized in the Atlantic States. The four subtribes are typi- 
fied by the genera Hauwolfia, Cerbera, Plumeria, and Ta- 
bern&montana. 
plumery (pld"me-ri), n. [< plume + -ery.] 
Plumes collectively ; a number of plumes taken 
together; a display of plumes. 
Helms or shields 
Glittering with gold and scarlet plumery. Southey. 
plumetty, plumette' (pis'met-i, pl6-me-ta'), a. 
[Heraldic F.plumette,< OF. plumette, a little fea- 
ther, dim. of plume, feather: see plume.] Inker., 
covered with feathers, or feather-like decora- 
tions: said especially of 
the field when divided into 
fusils each of which is 
filled with a feather. The 
decorations are then of 
different tinctures, usual- 
ly a metal and a color al- 
ternately. 
plum-fir(plum'fer),n. See 
Podocarpus. 
plum-gouger (plum'gou*- 
jer), . A kind of pur- 
(Line shows 
